The New Orleans Saints are 3-0 for the seventh time in club history and the third time under Sean Payton. But they've never gotten there this way before.

They are winning in unfamiliar fashion, traveling a road not taken in Payton's previous seven seasons on the sideline.

Their defense is dominant. Their special teams are rock solid. And their once-multifaceted offense has been reduced to one seemingly unstoppable force: Drew Brees to Jimmy Graham and a cloud of dunks.

It's a dramatic and refreshing departure from previous Saints teams in the Payton era, which lived and died largely on the success of their prolific offense.

This unorthodox formula has carried the Saints to three consecutive victories and atop the NFC South. And Saints fans are loving every minute of it, even if they don't quite know what to make of this new world order.

"I believe (we are starting to form our identity)," Brees said. "While there are a lot of familiar faces who have been in the program for some time, we have some new players who are playing significant roles on the team."